In the context of present-day development, adherence to diversity appears to be a priority. In order to spread tolerant ideas in society, it is essential to promote this value at schools. It is undeniable that private schools have progressed towards diversity in many aspects, though this field still requires improvements. An illustrative example of modern implementation will be Joanne’s Private School in Alberta, Canada (Perez del Toro, 2017). Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to suggest an appropriate and comprehensive diversity policy for this educational institute.
The school was founded in 2001, and it is different from other ones due to its adherence to simplicity and equality. The majority of private schools are aimed to deliver premium educational services for the elite categories of the population (Perez del Toro, 2017). On the contrary, Joanne’s Private School is intended to abandon this approach, as it leads to the appearance of prejudices against other people. Therefore, the major value for the school is simplicity and equality. A comprehensive diversity policy may accompany these priorities and contribute to spreading the ideas of tolerance among the employees and students.
Consequently, the main aim of the diversity policy in Joanne’s Private School is to promote simplicity, equality, and tolerance and prepare students for living in a multicultural community. The scope includes both the students of this educational institute and its employees. In order to avoid misunderstanding in the conducing of the course, it is essential to provide the definition for the term ‘diversity’. This word implies the practice of abandoning any prejudices against people of various ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other criteria.
A crucial step toward diversity is conducting lessons on various ethnicities and racial origins. Students should be explained the historical background and offered to get acquainted with the traditions and customs of different nationalities (Hollowell, 2020). Hollowell (2020) advises: “ensure it’s not an afterthought, but a primary lens through which school leadership considers your institution’s future” (para. 9). This method may be realized in history lessons and via organizing additional classes on diversity.
Another key aspect regards the supportive environment at the school, which is essential to conducting the diversity policy. In the article Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (n. d.), it is stated: “school […] will not tolerate harassment or bullying based on sexual orientation or gender identity that impacts a student’s experience at the School” (para. 5). Thus, it is important to promote a respectful attitude to all the people, who work and study at the school regardless of their nationality, sexual orientation, and gender. It is essential to take into consideration the wishes of transgender and gender nonconforming schoolchildren on using school facilities, adhering to particular names, and other aspects (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, n. d.). This approach will contribute to establishing a safe environment at the school.
Encouraging collaboration between students and encouraging cooperative activities should also be an integral part of the diversity policy. This way, students will have the possibility to meet different people and share their values and opinion on various topics (Hollowell, 2020). According to Hollowell (2020), “this allows students to bond with other students from similar backgrounds, and share their culture with others” (para. 13). In addition, it is essential to provide the students with a variety of activities and clubs. Therefore, all the mentioned measures in complex, will be beneficial for conducting the diversity policy and preparing children for the multicultural community.
References
Diversity, equity, and inclusion. (n. d.). Far Hills Country Day School. 2021, Web.
Hollowell, C. (2020). How to support school diversity goals through the admission process. SchoolAdmin. Web.
Perez del Toro, J. (2017). Diversity, equity, and inclusion in independent schools: How silence and privilege hinder the work. UCLA.